Page 66 of The Moon Also Rises
“Well, if that wasn’t clear from the kissing—”
“It’s not clear. At all.” My tone is desperate.
“Yes, I fancy you, Jake.”
A rush of something threatens to sweep me away. Joy? Delight? Excitement? Anticipation? Or maybe it’s panic. Because now what am I supposed to do with this information?
“You do fancy me?”
“Yes, but I don’t expect anything to happen.”
“You don’t?”
“No,” Rami says and at first his smile seems kind and sweet but then I see, and hear, the sadness in it. “I know you don’t really fancy me.”
In a split second I can almost taste the regret I’ll feel if I do what I’m thinking of doing, but then I push it aside and do it anyway.
“Can I touch you, Rami?” I ask my voice more serious than I’ve ever heard it.
“Yes, Jake,” Rami says, his tone just as low.
Grabbing Rami’s hand, I place it on my crotch.
“God, no, Mr Events. I don’t fancy you. Not. At. All.”
Rami’s eyes fall to where his hand is and mine join them a second later.
“Jake, I—” His voice cracks.
I lift his hand off me and hold it.
“I’m sorry. That was inappropriate,” I mumble.
“I really didn’t mind,” Rami says and there it is again, a little mischief in the way his mouth twitches.
“I’m just very confused about whatever is happening between us so I thought I’d at least make it clear what I was… feeling.”
“You made it crystal clear. Are crystals harder than diamonds?” Rami asks with a very definite and cheeky grin.
I drop his hand. “For Christ’s sake. Why would you choose this moment to suddenly find your funny bone?”
My fingers are barely at my side when Rami finds both my hands with his. He brings our joined hands together in front of us. “I’m sorry. I’m just trying to make light of the situation. As I said, I find you physically attractive, Jake. And when you behave, I quite like you too. But I know we’re colleagues, and I know this whole fake boyfriends thing has an expiry date…”
I pull one of my hands free to pinch the bridge of my nose although it does nothing to relieve the headache that has just started stabbing me behind my eyes.
“And I don’t want this,” Rami says, and he brings his hand up to the side of my face, cupping my cheek. “I don’t want you getting stressed out.”
I am stressed out. I’m stressed out because I thought talking about this would be a good idea. I thought it would help clarify what’s going on with us but in reality, it just made things more confusing. Now I know the physical attraction is mutual, I can’t ignore it. Now that I am faced with the truth I feel even worse. And impossibly, twice as horny.
“Rami, do you want to stay over as well?” I ask tentatively.
Rami pulls his head back, tips his chin up a little as his silver eyes stare into me. “Now why would I do that? Luigi is crashed out in your spare room. I noticed earlier you don’t have a bathtub. I could hardly sleep in the shower.”
“That’s not what I was thinking…” I say coyly.
“Oh, you’re right. You do have a sofa, although that also seems to be occupied.”
“I have a bed!” I blurt out. “I have a massive bed with an award-winning gel-foam mattress and the finest Egyptian cotton sheets that money can buy.”
